Not sure if this changes from year to year or not? So now could be the time to do it if they think he's worth it. They have the money now to pay him enough to make it worth his while. If they could get him in the Summer league camp going head to head with Enes and Favors to see exactly what they have it would be nice.

Next year, team buyout amount is only $600K. Gotta find another $6+ million elsewhere, although the Jazz could take that on their cap if they wanted.

He'd probably make a pretty good 3 man big rotation with Favours and Kanter.

Now looks like it might be the time if they think he is worth what they will have to pay. They might not have the money next year and beyond with Hayward and Favors due to get paid. He's at the top of Euroleague basketball. Someone might want to pay him if they don't anyway.

See a few mock drafts have the Jazz taking Kelly Olynyk at #14. Listed for Philly at #11 on a few too, but Cody Zeller is around that range too. Seen Michael Carter-Williams listed anywhere from #6 to Sac to #14 to the Jazz. Mavericks might also be interested in him too and the pick #13.

Alex Len arrived in Chicago on Wednesday night night and promptly met with four teams — the Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics. The Jazz, Kings and T-Wolves all hold lottery picks and are three of 10 such teams scheduled to meet with the 7-foot-1 Len this week. Several others outside the lottery, like the Celtics, have also lined up interviews.

There’s been talk that this draft is weak, that it won’t benefit the club in any meaningful way, particularly at the positions where Utah is most thin.

Kevin O’Connor, though, believes that last part is a bunch of hooey. He says there are useful players available, even from deep, whether the Jazz stay put or move up.

"There will be a player there that, hopefully we draft, but if not, drafted after us, that becomes a good NBA player," he says. "[It’s] our responsibility, our call, our job. … We’ve got to do it right and if we don’t do it right often enough, then we shouldn’t have the job."

Those words might sound as though they are selling what the Jazz have said they will sell until the team once again becomes what it used to be — a real contender: hope.

Living off the fumes of Stockton and Malone has pretty much run its course. And since nobody around here wants to focus much on the brief up-blip that was Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, that leaves the Jazz with not a lot to grab ahold of in recent seasons.

There is the ongoing development of that young core four — which was curbed a bit by Ty Corbin’s choice to give the lion’s share of the minutes to more veteran players in an ill-fated attempt to make the playoffs this past season, players who probably won’t be around next year — and that is where Jazz fans have placed most of that hope.

The back half of O’Connor’s statement is a confession of accountability. If what he says is correct, there is an opportunity here, if sound acumen and good judgment are properly applied. Jazz leadership openly taking that kind of responsibility is a plus. They’ve always had to be smarter than the average executives to make their small-market team better. Sometimes they have been and sometimes they haven’t. Now, though, is an important transitional time in Jazz history for them not to whiff.

But the complications, indeed, are double-barreled: one, the overall talent is limited, and two, the players available at the positions of greatest need are even more limited.

The entire planet knows the Jazz are desperate for a point guard, a set-up man who can make the young bigs more effective at the offensive end. Players such as Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, two former No. 3 overall picks, must do their part during the offseason to continue to groom their games. But they also need the point guard, whoever it is, to help them along by making it a priority to go to their strengths, instead of set his own shot up or simply create his own opportunities.

The Jazz also need proficient offensive production at shooting guard. If Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap are headed out, the Jazz have to find those points elsewhere, especially if Favors and Kanter are getting many more minutes. Favors has a chance to be an elite defender, but, as mentioned, his offense needs work. Kanter has a nice touch and has shown the possibility of terrific offensive growth. But when you’re talking about replacing the output of Jefferson, while gaining the defensive upgrade of Favors, if he stays out of foul trouble, a whole lot of additional points are needed — quickly.

I can see the other team scoring a lot less points too. Their young guy have the potential to be something special defensively. I think that's the most exciting aspect of them right now.

Quote:

A sign-and-trade could happen, but … given only what is known, the Jazz’s improvement must be addressed somehow. They could blow part of their impressive financial flexibility on a free agent, but … which one, Jarrett Jack? Would they trade for the oft-injured Eric Gordon?

Probably not getting Jack and I doubt they would want Gordon or would he want to play in Utah. He's complained about Nawlins.

Quote:

O’Connor insists that the Jazz will take the best player on their board in the first round, not concentrate on positions.

"You get nauseated when I say, ‘best player available,’ " he says. " … When we say that, we mean it. Some of the biggest mistakes that have been made were when [teams] drafted by position, by need, rather than ability."

He remembers that the Blazers picked Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan.

They need to do whatever it takes to get a guard if they have to trade up to do it or trade for a Bledsoe. Best player available doesn't cut it.

I don't take much of what O'Conner says seriously. Jury still out on the new guy. He hasn't had much to say. Showed some small signs of change. This will be the summer for him to put his imprint on the franchise though.

I don't take much of what O'Conner says seriously. Jury still out on the new guy. He hasn't had much to say. Showed some small signs of change. This will be the summer for him to put his imprint on the franchise though.

You would think that if he's the guy to take over from O'Connor then they'd be telling him that this is his draft and where they go forward from here is up to him, while still getting some input from O'Connor.

Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com broke the news earlier today that Dennis Schroeder preferred to play in Utah or Milwaukee. He writes:

Dennis Schroeder ... has singled out Utah and Milwaukee as preferred destinations on draft night. Which is particularly relevant since the interest may be mutual and both will be picking in the right range, with the Jazz probably at 14, barring a long-shot climb into the top three on lottery night, and the Bucks at 15.

As Schroeder himself pointed out to me, the Jazz have the position need as Mo Williams heads into free agency. (Good chance they'd have the need even if Williams wasn't.) When we talked and I asked what he considered the best option for the start of his NBA career, Utah was the first place he mentioned.

via Scott Howard-Cooper's Sulia

This guys had some issues so I wouldn't expect the Jazz to go after him but I guess after Howard and Tinsley anything is possible.

Alen Len is confident about what he will be able to accomplish at the NBA level.

“I think maybe 10 years from now, I’ll be the best player out of this draft,” Len said.

Len was limited by a stress fracture in his ankle over the final two weeks of the NCAA season. But in his first game of the year, Len scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against projected No. 1 overall pick Nerlens Noel.

“I think I did pretty well that game,” Len said of his performance against Noel. “I think I was able to show NBA scouts what I could be in the future. I kind of showed my potential. After this season, I got more confident and talked to my coaches. In NBA, you have individual coaches with you. I decided to come out early, because I want to progress quicker. The developmental process will be faster.”